Product Description

Jazz Icons: Wes Montgomery shines a light on one of the most unique and influential guitarists in music history. These beautifully filmed programs from the spring of 1965 feature Wes, in intimate studio settings, leading three different lineups through some of his best-known tunes, including "Four On Six", "Jingles" and "West Coast Blues". This rare footage, complete with rehearsals, between-song banter and closeup camera angles, illuminates We's extraordinary musical vocabulary and unconventional picking technique. An in-depth, song-by-song analysis by legendary jazz guitarist Pat Metheny makes this DVD a guitar lover's dream.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41867 in DVD
• Brand: Jazz
• Released on: 2007-09-04
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Best of, Black & White, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 78 minutes

Jazz Times
"Jazz Icons is doing for jazz what the Criterion Collection has done for classic and important films".

Newsday.com, October 14, 2007, Gene Seymour
Jazz Icons represents the new millennium's most welcome shot in the arm for the music's soul

THE BOSTON PHOENIX, 11/26/2007, By: JEFF TAMARKIN
Close-ups of Montgomery's hands traversing the fretboard should be required viewing for any aspiring jazz guitarist.

Customer Reviews

The One & Only
Where do I start..? first... I have been playing the guitar for more than 40-years as a pro..and last 15-years as a jazz guitarist. This DVD has three parts..the second part was available in portions under the Ginus of Jazz guitar Vol 1 and 2.

However...this DVD has cleaned and restored the picture and sound to a level that it is just amazing from T.V. shows recording back in 60's.

Now about the content. The minute I started watching Wes in the first concert talking to the piano player and the band and teaching them a new tune by just casualy speaking and smoking ....my god..Wes Montgomery was alive and well speaking about music right in my living room.

I would say the way he plays the guitar and plays all his ideas one after another with such ease and smile..makes you cry...

Confession...the last three days I have been going home make myself a drink and playing this DVD and sit there and weep.

See ...I grew up listening and envy this guy..now I can actualy see him play....


I have seen many many jazz guitar artists play live and on screen...to me nothing beats Wes.

There are and they were lots of guitar players that as far as instrument technique have been superior ...but NOBODY had the SOUL and the GROOVE of the WES...when he gets going..the whole band is riding on his tale..as if by god I can't beleive this. he had a incredable GROOVE and sense of SWING that made the drummers happy as a kid in a candy store....

Ask any jazz guitar player what kind of guitar sound are they after ...I bet more than 90% will say I like my guitar to sound like Wes..and in the DVD you see what he is using..the Wes Montgomery Model Gibson L-5 (one pick-up only) and Standler tube amp which were being made since 1953...they still make them around $4000.00.

Now...this DVD is a must for anybody who likes jazz, anybody who playes the guitar, anybody who likes incredable visual music experience..and more...

Last...in my opinion the reason Wes elevated the Jazz guitar to another level was...he played it as a guitar not trying to emulate piano or horn lines as lots of guitar playes did or still do ( he used lots of bluesy runs and double stops and block chords)...anothewords...the way he plays ..it can only be reproduced on the guitar...not on any other instrument..and that my friends... will stay forever...!! enough already..by the DVD...make it number one on Amazon..he deserves it....!!

Finally, Extensive Video on a Virtuoso Jazz Guitar Master !!!
Finally, this DVD makes available a 78 minute collection of 3 European TV videos of the Jazz guitar master Wes Montgomery w/ 3 different trios backing him in mostly his compositions... the music is an inspiration & watching the many camera angles of Wes playing guitar is a revelation to anyone who admires this legendary innovator [who stands with gypsy Django Reinhardt & Les Paul as the 3 most influential Jazz guitarists of this past century]... Montgomery's right hand thumb strumming & picking is uniquely innovative to his sound & in this video, you can marvel at this amazing technique again & again as he is breezin' thru his chord soloing & octave melodies... i especially enjoy the 2nd set in Belgium as Wes really swings w/ an all black jazz musician's trio behind him burnin' thru "Impressions" & "Jingles" as well as 3 other tunes... this DVD is an "Instant Classic" that belongs in any serious jazz-influenced guitarist's collection !!! the liner notes by Pat Metheny are very detailed & great to read in addition to watching Wes finally in a full length DVD... this amazing video has reinspired my love of Wes Montgomery like the Grappelli 2 DVD set does for my love Django's playing = Buy It if you love virtuoso Jazz Guitar !

Jazz Icon
It is very enlightening to watch Wes' hands as he plays, and see how he uses the fretboard. I've been playing a long time, and this video has given me a new way to approach my instrument. I would recommend this to any guitarist that wants to play jazz.